1, 2. (a) Bantfu labanyenti bakuchaza njani kuphumelela? (b) Ungayihlola njani indlela lotsatsa ngayo kuphumelela?

KUSHO kutsini kuphumelela ekuphileni? Nawungake ubute bantfu labehlukene lombuto, utawukhandza kutsi timphendvulo tabo atifani. Labanyenti bachaza kuphumelela ngekutsi kuba nemali lenyenti nobe kufundza kakhulu. Labanye batsi kute uphumelele kufanele ube nebudlelwane lobuhle nemndeni wakho, bangani nobe losebenta nabo. Umuntfu lokhonta Nkulunkulu angahle ahlobanise kuphumelela nekuba nemisebenti letsite ebandleni nobe kuphumelela emsebentini wekushumayela.

² Kute utfole kutsi kusho kutsini kuphumelela kuwe, ungase ubhale phansi emabito ebantfu labambalwa locabanga kutsi baphumelele—bantfu lobetsembako nalobahloniphako. Bafanana ngani labantfu? Banjingile nobe badvumile? Babantfu lababalulekile yini? Timphendvulo talemibuto tingase tembule loko lokusenhlitiyweni yakho. Loko lokubona kuncono kubo ngiko lokungaba nesandla etincumeni lotentako.—Luk. 6:45.

3. (a) Yini lobekufanele yentiwe nguJoshuwa kute aphumelele? (b) Sitawufundza ngani kulesihloko?

³ Lokubaluleke kakhulu ngumbono waJehova ngekuphumelela kwetfu, ngobe kuphila kwetfu kunamatsele ekusemukeleni kwakhe. Ngalesikhatsi aniketa Joshuwa umsebenti lobalulekile wekuhola ema-Israyeli awangenise eVeni Lesetsembiso, Jehova wamtjela kutsi afundze uMtsetfo waMosi “busuku nemini” futsi akuhloniphe lobekubhalwe kuwo. Nkulunkulu wamcinisekisa watsi: “Khona-ke uyawuphumelela kube kuhle kuwe.” (Josh. 1:7, 8) Utawukhumbula kutsi Joshuwa waphumelela. Kutsiwani ngatsi? Singabona njani kutsi indlela lesitsatsa ngayo kuphumelela ifanana neyaNkulunkulu? Kute siphendvule lemibuto, ase sifundze ngekuphila kwemadvodza lamabili lokukhulunywa ngawo eBhayibhelini.

4. Kungashiwo ngani kutsi Solomoni waphumelela?

⁴ Solomoni waphumelela ngetindlela letinyenti. Kwabangelwa yini loko? Kungobe kwaphela iminyaka leminyenti amesaba futsi amhlonipha Jehova, lowambusisa kakhulu. Khumbula kutsi ngesikhatsi Jehova atsi kuSolomoni akente sicelo kuye, lenkhosi yacela kuhlakanipha kute icondzise labantfu. Nkulunkulu wayibusisa ngekutsi ayinike kuhlakanipha nemcebo. (Fundza 1 Emakhosi 3:10-14.) Kuhlakanipha kwakhe “kwaba kukhulu kunekuhlakanipha kwato tonkhe tati tasemphumalanga netaseGibhithe.” Tidvumo taSolomoni tatiwa “nakuto tonkhe tive letatibomakhelwane bakhe.” (1 Khos. 4:30, 31) Umcebo wakhe weligolide wawuba ngemathani langu-25 ngemnyaka. (2 Khr. 9:13) Abehlakaniphile nakasebentelana naletinye tive futsi abambisene kahle nato kutemabhizinisi. Njengobe abemukeleka kuNkulunkulu, Solomoni wakhombisa kutsi uyaphumelela.—2 Khr. 9:22-24.

5. Ngusiphi siphetfo Solomoni lafika kuso mayelana nalabo labaphumelelako kuNkulunkulu?

⁵ Loko Solomoni lakubhala encwadzini yeMshumayeli kuyakhombisa kutsi akazange acabange kutsi kuphumelela nenjabulo, kwalabo labanemandla nalabahlakaniphile kuphela. Wabhala watsi: “Ngiyati kutsi kute lokuncono ngaphandle kwekutsi bajabule baphile imphilo lekahle basesemhlabeni. Ngetulu kwaloko kutsi umuntfu adle anatse atijabulise ngayo yonkhe imishikashika yakhe kusipho saNkulunkulu.” (Shu. 3:12, 13) Wacaphela nekutsi injabulo yeliciniso itfolwa kuphela ngulabo labemukelwa nguNkulunkulu futsi labanebudlelwane lobuhle naye. Kungako Solomoni atsi: “Konkhe sekuvakele. Nasi-ke siphetfo sendzaba: Yesaba Nkulunkulu, ugcine imiyalo yakhe, kute lokunye lokungetulu kwaloko lokudzingekako kumuntfu.”—Shu. 12:13.

6. Sibonelo saSolomoni sisiniketa kuphi kucondza kute sibone kutsi kuhlakanipha sibili kuyini?

⁶ Solomoni waba nebudlelwane lobuhle naNkulunkulu iminyaka leminyenti. Sifundza kutsi “walukhombisa lutsandvo lwakhe kuSimakadze ngekutsi ahambe ngetimiso teyise Davide.” (1 Khos. 3:3) Angeke yini sewusho kutsi kuphumelela sibili loko? Acondziswa nguNkulunkulu, Solomoni wakha lithempeli lelihle kute kuchutjelwe kulo kukhonta kweliciniso waphindze wabhala tincwadzi letintsatfu teliBhayibheli. Nanobe singeke sikhone kwenta loko lakwenta, sibonelo saSolomoni ngalesikhatsi asetsembekile kuNkulunkulu, kufanele sisikhombise kutsi singakubona njani kuphumelela mbamba futsi loko kufanele kusisite kute sikutfole. Khumbula kutsi Solomoni abephefumulelwe nakabhala kutsi bantfu labanyenti lamuhla batsatsa kunjinga, kuhlakanipha, ludvumo nemandla njengekuphumelela, kodvwa watsi leto tintfo tilite. Tintfo letinjalo vele tilite ‘tifanana nekucosha umoya.’ Bantfu labanyenti labatsandza imali bafuna kutfola lenyenti. Bahlale bakhatsatekile nangaloko labanako. Ngetulu kwaloko, bunjinga babo ngalelinye lilanga butawutsatfwa ngulabanye.—Fundza Umshumayeli 2:8-11, 17; 5:10-12.

7, 8. Solomoni wakhombisa njani kutsi akaketsembeki, futsi loko kwaba namuphi umphumela?

⁷ Uyati kutsi Solomoni ekugcineni waphambuka ekukhonteni Jehova ngekwetsembeka. LiVi laNkulunkulu litsi: “Ngesikhatsi Solomoni akhula, emakhosikati akhe abeya ngekuya kuphambukisela inhlitiyo yakhe etithicweni tawo; inhlitiyo yakhe yayingasekatinikeli ngalokuphelele kuSimakadze longuNkulunkulu wakhe, njengenhlitiyo yeyise Davide. . . . Solomoni wenta lokubi emehlweni aSimakadze.”—1 Khos. 11:4-6.

⁸ Jehova waphatseka kabi wadzimate watsi kuSolomoni: ‘Njengobe . . . ungazange wasigcina sivumelwane sami netimiso  tami, lengakuyala ngato, nakanjani umbuso wakho ngitawudzabula etandleni takho ngiwususe kuwe ngiwunike lomunye wetinceku takho.’ (1 Khos. 11:11) Kwadvumata kakhulu loko! Nanobe abephumelele kulokunyenti, Solomoni wamdvumata Jehova. Solomoni wehluleka kwenta intfo lebaluleke kakhulu ekuphileni kwakhe—kwetsembeka kuNkulunkulu. Ngamunye wetfu angatibuta: ‘Ngitimisele yini kwenta sifundvo lengisitfole ekuphileni kwaSolomoni singisite kute ngiphumelele?’

9. Ngembono webantfu belive, Pawula waphumelela yini? Chaza.

⁹ Imphilo yemphostoli Pawula beyehluke kakhulu kuleyo yeNkhosi Solomoni. Pawula akazange aphile imphilo lentofontofo esigodlweni nobe adle nemakhosi. Esikhundleni saloko, bekuhle kuba netikhatsi lapho abelamba khona, abebete kwekunatsa nekwekwembatsa. (2 Khor. 11:24-27) Ngalesikhatsi sekakholelwa kutsi Jesu unguMesiya, bantfu benkholo yemaJuda bese bangasamhloniphi Pawula. Baholi benkholo yemaJuda bese bamenyanya. Wajikijelwa ejele, washaywa wadzimate wagcotjwa nangematje. Pawula wavuma kutsi yena nemaKhristu labekanawo betfukwa, bashushiswa futsi bacanjelwa emanga. “Kuze kube ngulamuhla sentiwa tibi temhlaba, nekungcola kwetintfo tonkhe.”—1 Khor. 4:11-13.

10. Yini leyabangela labanye bacabanga kutsi Pawula utilahlekisele ematfuba lamahle ekuphumelela?

¹⁰ Ngesikhatsi aselijaha lebelatiwa ngekutsi nguSawula, umphostoli Pawula bekubonakala shengatsi tintfo timhambela kahle. Abephuma emndenini lobalulekile, futsi wafundza naGamaliyeli, thishela lobekahlonishwa kakhulu. Kungako Pawula kamuva wabhala watsi: “Ngachubeka ngekwenkholo yebuJuda, ngabendlula labanyenti lababebontsanga yetfu.” (Gal. 1:14) Abesikhuluma kahle siHebheru nesiGriki futsi angumRoma, ngenca yaloko abenematfuba nemalungelo labefiswa bantfu labanyenti. Kube wachubeka wafuna kuphumelela eveni, kungenteka abetawunjinga kakhulu futsi ahlonishwe. Esikhundleni saloko, wakhetsa kuphila ngendlela labanye—ngisho tihlobo takhe—labebayibona ibulima. Yini leyabangela bacabanga njalo?

11. Ngumuphi umgomo Pawula labenawo, futsi yini leyambangela waba nalowo mgomo?

¹¹ Pawula abemtsandza Jehova futsi sifiso sekwemukelwa nguye sasihamba embili kunebunjinga nekudvuma ebantfwini. Ngesizatfu sekutsi watfola lwati lolunembile lweliciniso, Pawula abeyitsatsa njengalebalulekile inhlawulo leyakhokhwa nguJesu, umsebenti wemaKhristu wekushumayela, litsemba lekuphila ezulwini—tintfo bantfu labebangenamsebenti nato.  Abekwati loko Sathane lakusho ngebantfu. Sathane abetsite angenta bonkhe bantfu bayekele kukhonta Nkulunkulu. (Jobe 1:9-11; 2:3-5) Nobe ngabe ngutiphi tilingo labhekana nato, Pawula abetimisele kwetsembeka kuNkulunkulu, futsi abeketele ekumkhonteni. Loyo ngumgomo bantfu labanyenti labafuna kuphumelela emhlabeni labehlulekile kuwufinyelela.

12. Yini lekwenta ukhetse kubeka litsemba lakho kuNkulunkulu?

¹² Unaso yini sibindzi lesaboniswa nguPawula? Nanobe kungesimelula kuphila imphilo yekwetsembeka, siyati kutsi isiletsela sibusiso saJehova nekwemukelwa nguye. Nguloko kanye-ke lokwenta umuntfu aphumelele sibili. (Taga 10:22) Kuyasizuzisa nyalo, futsi siyaciniseka kutsi kutasiletsela tibusiso nasesikhatsini lesitako. (Fundza Makho 10:29, 30.) Ngako-ke, sinato tonkhe tizatfu tekungabeki litsemba letfu ‘kulomcebo lophelako kodvwa silibeke kuNkulunkulu losipha konkhe ngalokuphelele, kuze sitfokote ngako.’ ‘Sitibekele sisekelo lesihle sesikhatsi lesitako, khona sitewunamatsela ekuphileni lokunguko sibili.’ (1 Thim. 6:17-19) Siyaciniseka kutsi nobe kungendlula iminyaka lengemakhulu kusukela nyalo nobe letinkhulungwane, sitawukhona kutsi sitsi: “Sakhetsa indlela yekuphila lephumelelako sibili!”

13. Ngusiphi seluleko lesashiwo nguJesu ngekutibekela umcebo?

¹³ Naku Jesu lakusho ngemcebo: “Ningatibekeli umcebo wenu lapha emhlabeni, ngobe umvunya nekutfomba kutawudla, nemasela angagcekeza awube. Lokungenani tibekeleni umcebo wenu ezulwini, lapho kungekho khona umvunya, nekutfomba lokuwudlako, nemasela angeke agcekeze awube. Phela lapho kukhona umcebo wakho khona, nenhlitiyo yakho itakuba khona.”—Mat. 6:19-21.

14. Yini leyenta kungabi kuhlakanipha kufuna umcebo walapha emhlabeni?

¹⁴ Umcebo umuntfu langaba nawo emhlabeni angeke sewube yimali kuphela. Ungafaka ekhatsi letinye taletintfo Solomoni labhala ngato, bantfu labatitsatsa ngekutsi kuphumelela nawunato—ludvumo nemandla. Jesu waveta liphuzu lelitsi alifane nalelo Solomoni lalisho encwadzini yeMshumayeli—imicebo yalelive isheshe iphelelwe sikhatsi. Njengobe ubona eveni lohlala kulo, imicebo lenjalo ayihlali sikhatsi lesidze futsi ingakulahlekela masinyane. Phrofesa F. Dale Bruner wabhala ngemicebo lenjalo watsi: “Bantfu labanyenti bayati kutsi kudvuma yintfo yesikhashana. Umuntfu lobekadvumile kuleliviki leliphelile esikhatsini lesitako usuke angasanakwa. Injinga lebeyihlonishwa kulomnyaka emnyakeni lotako isuke seyite imali. . . . [Jesu] abebatsandza bantfu. Wabancenga kutsi balugweme ludvumo ngobe luphela masinyane futsi usala ute litsemba. Jesu akafuni kutsi bafundzi [bakhe] badvumateke. ‘Onkhe emalanga tintfo tiyabajikela bantfu lababonakala beme kahle.’” Nanobe bantfu labanyenti bavumelana nemavi alombhali, kodvwa bangakhi labawavumelako  kutsi asebente ekuphileni kwabo? Wena utawavumela yini?

15. Nguluphi luhlobo lwekuphumelela lokufanele silwele kulutfola?

¹⁵ Labanye baholi benkholo bashumayela kutsi kubi kulwela kuphumelela nekutsi imetamo yekwenta njalo kufanele ivinjelwe. Kodvwa Jesu abengasho kutsi akukafaneli setame kuphumelela. Esikhundleni saloko, abencenga bafundzi bakhe kutsi ‘batibekele umcebo longonakali ezulwini.’ Umgomo wetfu loyinhloko kufanele ube kwetama kuphumelela ngendlela Jehova lafuna siphumelele ngayo. Emavi aJesu asikhumbuta kutsi singatikhetsela kutsi yini lesiyifunako ekuphileni. Liciniso likutsi sitawufuna kwenta loku lokusetinhlitiyweni tetfu futsi lesikutsandza kakhulu.

16. Yini lesingaciniseka ngayo?

¹⁶ Nangabe sifuna ngalokusuka enhlitiyweni kujabulisa Jehova, singaba nelitsemba lekutsi utasinika tintfo lesitidzingako. Angase akuvumele kwesikhashana kutsi silambe nobe seswele kwekunatsa njengobe kwenteka ngemphostoli Pawula. (1 Khor. 4:11) Nanobe kunjalo, singaba nelitsemba eselulekweni lesihlakaniphile saJesu lesitsi: “Ngako-ke ningakhatsateki ngekutsi: ‘Sitawudlani?’ nome: ‘Sitawunatsani?’ nome: ‘Sitakwembatsani?’ Ngobe nebetive bafuna tona leto tintfo, kantsi uYihlo losezulwini uyati kutsi niyatidzinga tonkhe letintfo. Kodvwa funani kucala umbuso waNkulunkulu kanye nekulunga kwakhe, khona tonkhe letintfo titakwengetelwa kini.”—Mat. 6:31-33.

17, 18. (a) Kunamatsele kuphi kuphumelela kweliciniso? (b) Yini lengahambisani nekuphumelela?

¹⁷ Liphuzu leliyinhloko nguleli: Kuphumelela kwetfu akukanamatseli kuloko lesiphumelele kukutfola nobe esikhundleni lesingaba kuso ngembono webantfu labaphila emhlabeni. Ngetulu kwaloko, kuphumelela sibili akuyi ngekutsi unaliphi lilungelo emisebentini yebuKhristu. Sibusiso lesinjalo singahlotjaniswa naloko lokusisekelo semphumelelo sibili, lokukulalela nekwetsembeka kuNkulunkulu losicinisekisa ngekutsi: “Baphatsi kufuneka kutsi batfolakale betsembekile.” (1 Khor. 4:2) Kufanele sichubeke sikhutsatela. Jesu watsi: “Lokhutsatelako kuze kube sekupheleni, uyawusindziswa.” (Mat. 10:22) Ngesikhatsi bantfu labalungile futsi labetsembekile basindza, loko kutawukhombisa kutsi baphumelele.

¹⁸ Sicabanga ngaloko lesisandza kucoca ngako, kuyacaca kutsi kwetsembeka kuNkulunkulu akuhambisani nekudvuma, imfundvo, nekuba nemali lenyenti. Kuphindze kungahlobani nekuhlakanipha nanemakhono lokungenteka sibe nawo. Kunobe ngutiphi timo lesingahle sitikhandze sikuto, singakhombisa kutsi setsembele kuNkulunkulu. Tinceku taNkulunkulu tangelikhulu lekucala leminyaka, letinye tato tatinjingile kantsi letinye tatiphuyile. Pawula weluleka labo labebacebile watsi “bente lokuhle, bacebe emisebentini lemihle, babelane, bephane.” Bonkhe labo labanjingile nalabaphuyile ‘bebatawunamatsela ekuphileni sibili.’ (1 Thim. 6:17-19) Kuliciniso loko ngisho nalamuhla. Sonkhe sivulekelwe litfuba lelifanako nemtfwalo lofananako: Kufanele sichubeke setsembekile futsi ‘sicebile emisebentini lemihle.’ Nasenta njalo sitawuphumelela kuMdali wetfu siphindze sijabule ngekwati kutsi senta loko lokumjabulisako.—Taga 27:11.

19. Endzabeni yekuphumelela utimisele kwentani?

¹⁹ Ungase ungakhoni kuyishintja indlela bantfu bakulelive labakutsatsa ngayo, kodvwa ungakhona kuyitfola indlela yekusebentelana nabo. Yetama kwetsembeka nobe ukusiphi simo. Utawujabulela umetamo lowentile. Yetsemba kutsi Jehova utakubusisa nyalo ngisho naphakadze. Ungawakhohlwa emavi Jesu lawasho kumaKhristu lagcotjiwe: “Yetsembeka kuze kube ngusekufeni, ngiyawukupha umchele wekuphila.” (Semb. 2:10) Singalisho ligcwale umlomo kutsi leyo yimphumelelo sibili!